Hoping For A Nokta Pulse Induction Detector

[Tahoegold]

4 minutes ago, Joe D. said:

The cost to make a light waterproof case is negligible at this point! May as well just make it submersible to ten feet like the Simplex, Equinox, or AT series! It should also break down or collapse small enough to fit into a backpack! You all covered the battery options well enough!( both would be nice)! 

    Here's my argument on waterproofness: Say you hike in somewhere you are unfamiliar with to do dry detecting, but end up near a stream or wash and see some promising wet locations! You only have the one detector; dry only except for coil! Do you risk a dunk with this machine if you slip, or have the piece of mind of a waterproof unit! Seems like an easy choice to me!

Now obviously salt water is a different animal, and requires different software that my not be compatable in a PI detector! I'm only talking inshore locations! But it would be nice to have the "get wet" ability!

This was exactly what I was thinking. The waterproof simplex is 2.9 lbs. Wading across a river or walking along smooth bedrock with water is a concern. However, Like others have said, if weight/cost makes this too heavy/costly, I'd rather have water resistant and a rain cover. If I need to I can put the unit in a plastic bag to keep it dry in my pack while crossing rivers. However, It would be nice if it was made so that if I just dropped it in shallow water, and grabbed it real quick it would still be ok. I don't see myself buying a $2000 detector. I don't detect enough to spend like that. I just need to battle high mineralization and locate heavy metals in bedrock. However, a unit that can find small gold (around a grain) by using a small coil to get into the crevices would be what I would need. And has good depth with a larger coil. Something that has different tones for iron and lead/gold would be ideal. It would need to be better than the Gold Racer in mineralized soils is my point. And, good enough so that I would not be tempted to spend more money on some other detector to get a complement to my Gold Racer VLF. I'm thinking if the unit is the same price as other brands and does a similar job, there would be a difficult decision to choose Notka/Makro. A light weight, low cost PI doesn't exist. And, if it does a good job, that would be a home run in my book. I think if anyone can do this its Notka/Makro. They dont have a PI unit and don't have to be concerned with customers having an expensive version and getting upset. Like others, Dry ground is my primary hunting ground. I don't need bells and whistles if it keeps cost down and weight down.

[Steve Herschbach]

Waterproofing a VLF and waterproofing a high power PI are two different things. Just ask Fisher.

[Tahoegold]

5 minutes ago, phrunt said:

Waterproof isn't vital, rainproof is.  A built in speaker with good volume is a must! The less I have to take with me the better. I will say it again support for Minelab GPX coils is vital.  There is absolutely no point starting all over again with coils when the GPX probably has the biggest range of coils ever made for any detector and now X-coils has also started to make and sell excellent GPX coils there is an even bigger range coming to market.

A lot of the people wanting a light weight PI maybe coming off a heavy GPX so will already have a collection of coils they'd like to use, having GPX coil support would attract these customers too.

If it's going to be a great seller, I believe support for GPX coils is a must.  Buying a whole new range of coils because a new PI detector comes out doesn't appeal to me at all.

I agree with all of this. What if the detector can be sold without coils? Coils are sold without detectors. Same coil set, different detectors to use them?

   I don't own a PI unit and would need a coil with it. I'd buy a matched coil made by Notka/Makro if it is made for this unit. They seem to do a great job with coils.

[Tahoegold]

8 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Waterproofing a VLF and waterproofing a high power PI are two different things. Just ask Fisher.

I believe you Steve. I won't hold my breath just so I could have water proofing. I really dont have to have it if it increases cost/weight to make it too close to other detectors cost/weight. I'll throw a plastic bag around the unit if I have to if it keeps cost down. Bottom line is weight/cost.

[BeachHunter]

How about a PI coupled to a multi frequency design with discrimination?

[Joe D.]

Hey Steve,

Is the heat the PI produces the main issue with a waterproof case? If so, i understand what your saying! Like sealing the vents on a computer eventually burns it up! But haven't there been PI's made for beach hunting that were waterproof? Or do they depend on being underwater to cool the unit? And i guess where there's heat, there's a heat sink that adds weight, and takes up valuable space!

[GB_Amateur]

3 hours ago, Tahoegold said:

A light weight, low cost PI doesn't exist.

That's not quite true even for dry land PI's.  The White's TDI/SL qualifies, but is underpowered compared to the competition.  The QED PL's also qualify but unfortunately their distribution is currently limited.  So, yes, there is a huge need for a moderately powered, widely distributed, lightweight, affordable dry land PI.  (And I suspect that's what you really meant.  ?)

 

 

[Tahoegold]

5 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

That's not quite true even for dry land PI's.  The White's TDI/SL qualifies, but is underpowered compared to the competition.  The QED PL's also qualify but unfortunately their distribution is currently limited.  So, yes, there is a huge need for a moderately powered, widely distributed, lightweight, affordable dry land PI.  (And I suspect that's what you really meant.  ?)

 

 

Yes, close to what I meant. The TDI I believe is no longer available as a land PI. And it was over $1,000, yet, the least expensive I think. And, I suspect that this new PI would have to compete with high powered PI units to capture the attention of a world wide consumer. Even though the TDI works fantastic, folks want the most powerful money can buy. This seems like a daunting task, or is it? Are the major expensive machines overpriced for the amount of cost to build? And can a competitive manufacturer enter this market with a powerful inexpensive detector? I look forward to see it see if this happens!

[GB_Amateur]

52 minutes ago, Tahoegold said:

Yes, close to what I meant. The TDI I believe is no longer available as a land PI.

Actually they still have an SL model with 2 coils for $1200 retail (tan or camo decoration):  https://www.whiteselectronics.com/product/tdi-sl-high-q/?lang=us

54 minutes ago, Tahoegold said:

I suspect that this new PI would have to compete with high powered PI units to capture the attention of a world wide consumer. Even though the TDI works fantastic, folks want the most powerful money can buy. This seems like a daunting task, or is it? Are the major expensive machines overpriced for the amount of cost to build? And can a competitive manufacturer enter this market with a powerful inexpensive detector? I look forward to see it see if this happens!

Agree that a new PI which simply matches the performance of the TDI/SL is a non-starter.  Garrett ATX performance level has got to be the minimum, IMO.